Plainville Council Decision Worries Some

Charter Panel's Legal Fees At Issue

PLAINVILLE — A town council decision not to pay legal fees for an illegally appointed charter revision commission will set a bad example, some members of other commissions are saying.

``I'm sure it would be a concern of any committee member,'' said Helen Marinelli, who serves on the senior citizen committee. ``They wouldn't want to be stuck with a bill from an attorney.''

Members of the charter revision commission hired Bristol lawyer Edward C. Krawiecki after two residents sued the panel.

The suit was brought by Gregory Granger, a local lawyer, and Val Dumais, vice chairman of the Democratic town committee, who said the panel was illegally appointed because the charter requires a two-thirds vote of the council to take most actions, including establishing a charter panel.

Four Republican members of the seven-member council appointed the commission in May after the council received a petition signed by about 1,000 residents. The appointment was made despite the objection of the two Democrats at the meeting.

The Republicans said state law required them to appoint the panel within 30 days of receiving the petition. But earlier this month, New Britain Superior Court Judge Julius J. Kremski ruled the panel was not properly appointed, that the charter required five votes.

Krawiecki has appealed Kremski's decision, and Vincent Riera, chairman of the charter commission, asked the council to pay Krawiecki's bill. Instead, Democrat Robert Warnat asked that the charter panel members repay the $900 it spent to do its work.

Zoning Board of Appeals member Fred Santacrose said the town should not expect members of the charter panel to pay expenses themselves. The volunteers who served on the panel should not be penalized if the council illegally appointed them, he said.

``I'm a member of the Plainville Democratic Town Committee, but I don't have to agree with them. I think the town should pay. . . . Right, wrong or indifferent we all make mistakes and the town should be responsible,'' he said.

Members of other boards, however, have said they were not concerned they would be affected by the decision.

``That's between those individuals on the charter commission and the town council,'' said Charles I. Motes of the inland wetlands commission.